LIV Golf has always been a legitimate threat, but the addition of the defending Masters Champion has made it a more legitimate tour.
Jon Rahm shocked the golf world in December when he joined LIV for what was considered an exorbitant amount of money after much criticism of the new tour.
Rahm once said that 54-hole tournaments are not real golf and that $400 million would not change his lifestyle. But Rahm left for the Saudi-funded league amid rumors that the offer reached $600 million.
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Spain’s Jon Rahm tees off on the 14th hole of the DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 19, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Indeed, all that money is nice, and Rahm seems to have known what he was signing up for – albeit with a hefty salary, and despite winning the Masters last April. , his golf legacy would be forever changed.
But Rahm won more than just a green jacket. Before moving to LIV, he had his 11 wins at the PGA, including his 2021 US Open.
The two-time major champion seemed to hint that there was a big aspect he was missing about the PGA Tour.
“Everyone who said this was going to be easy, I can’t defend the title I want to defend, but it wasn’t,” he said on Tuesday. per bar stool sports.
Jon Rahm of Spain poses with the Masters trophy at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. (Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)
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Rahm said it would be hard not to attend the Genesis Invitational at Riviera and the Sentry in Hawaii.He added: “It’s hard not to be.” [the Waste Management] Phoenix Open. ”
Rahm, of course, intends to defend his victory at Augusta National and will likely entrust the green jacket to someone else — unless, of course, he wins back-to-back titles.
“It wasn’t an easy decision because I’ve had a really successful career and I’m very happy, but there are a lot of things that LIV Golf has to offer that are very appealing, including team golf.” he told FOX News’ Bret Baier during the LIV announcement. “Being part of the team has really meant a lot to me throughout my career.”
Jon Rahm (left) and LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman pose for a photo in New York on December 7, 2023. (Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf, via AP)
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But for now, that’s all he can defend against the rest of the PGA Tour.
“Yeah, the money is great,” he continued. “Of course, that’s great. But what I said before is true. I don’t play golf for the money. I play golf for the love of golf and for the love of golf. I play golf. But as a husband, as a father, as a family man, I have an obligation to give my family the best opportunities and as many resources as possible. And that’s the important factor. is clear in this decision.”
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